1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a dual lane air transport assembly, and more particularly, to an improved apparatus for pneumatically transporting bottles with neck rings of different sizes along one or another of alternate feed paths.
2. Description of the Background Art
Many plastic bottles manufactured from thermoplastic synthetic resins are in wide use today throughout the carbonated beverage and other industries because of their advantages properties and the economical cost of manufacture. Such plastic bottles are usually formed from injection molded parisons having a threaded neck portion, a long slender body portion and a neck ring therebetween. The injection molded parison is blow-molded to its intended final size by positioning the parison in a blow-molding unit, applying heat to the body portion, and then injecting air into the parison for blow-molding to the desired shape.
Experience has shown that blow-molding flat bottomed plastic bottles are not satisfactory in terms of stability against deformation during use. Hence, virtually all blow-molded parisons include rounded bottoms to which is adhered a previously injection molded base cup. The base cup provides great stability and durability against deformation.
A typical base cupping machine for assembling base cups to round-bottomed plastic bottles is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,132,584 to Aidlin. This machine generally comprises a multilevel turntable having equispaced pockets about its periphery. During use, blow-molded plastic bodies are deposited into the recesses of the upper levels by means of a conveyor system interposed between the blow-molding machine and the turntable. Further downline of the turntable, a supply of base cups is deposited into the recesses of the lower most level. Then, during operation, the container bodies inserted within the upper levels of the turntable are forced downwardly by pneumatic cylinders into engagement with associated base cups below. The container bodies are then rigidly secured within the base cup prior to being deposited within the recesses of the turntable. The assembled plastic bottles are then ejected from the turntable for subsequent cleaning and filling with the desired beverage or the like.
The machine described above has been widely accepted throughout the industry. Unfortunately, a significant problem associated with that type of machine is the feeding of the container bodies. For example, the above-mentioned patent to Aidlin feeds both the container bodies and base cups to the base cupping assembly by mechanical conveyors. Such conveyors have performed their functions adequately in the past. More recently, however, container bodies have been fed pneumatically by flows of air which effect the intended conveying more efficiently than mechanical conveyors. Typical pneumatic conveyors for use in association with a base cup machine is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,284,370 to Danler and U.S. Pat. No. 4,822,214 to Aidlin. However, pneumatic conveyors in use today, including those of the type disclosed in the above-described Danler and Aidlin patents, are made for conveying container bodies of but one specific size or, more particularly, for conveying container bodies with neck rings of one particular diameter. As a result, the operation and use of such known pneumatic conveyors is limited, of decreased efficiency.
As illustrated by the large number of prior patents and known conveying techniques, efforts are continuously being made in an attempt to convey articles such as container bodies more efficiently, conveniently, reliably and economically. None of these previous efforts, however, provides the benefits attendant with the present invention. Additionally, prior techniques do not suggest the present inventive combination of component elements as disclosed and claimed herein. The present invention achieves its intended purpose, objectives and advantages over the prior art devices through a new, useful and unobvious combination of component elements which is simple to use, with the utilization of a minimum number of functioning parts, at a reasonable cost to manufacture and use and by employing only readily available components.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved pneumatic conveying apparatus for container bodies having neck rings comprising a plurality of pairs of laterally spaced neck tracks, each pair defining an elongated slot therebetween for slidably supporting container bodies by their neck rings; a plurality of inverted, U-shaped, interior channel members, each extending upwardly from one of the pairs of neck tracks spanning the slot and extending longitudinally substantially the length of the slot and having a cross sectional area sufficient to receive the portions of the container bodies above their neck rings, each interior channel member having a top wall and side walls with air directing louvers formed therein to provide a driving force for the container bodies; an inverted U-shaped, exterior channel member extending upwardly from the neck tracks enclosing the plurality of interior channel members and extending longitudinally substantially the length of the slots, and pneumatic means to introduce air under pressure to the space between the exterior channel member and one of the interior channel members whereby such space may constitute a plenum chamber and direct a flow of air within the interior chamber in a direction dictated by the angle of the louvers for conveying container bodies supported by their necks on the neck tracks in the direction of the air flow.
It is yet a further object of the invention to pneumatically convey container bodies supported on one of a plurality of neck rail sets as a function of the size of the neck rings of the container bodies.
Lastly, it is an object of the invention to direct the air flow of a pneumatic conveyor to one conveyor path or another depending on the conveyor path to be utilized.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the present invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or by modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanied drawings.